Housing Minister Russell Labey said that the two sites would form part of a longer list, due to be released later this month, of government-owned land which ministers intend to use for housing. Identifying future housing sites was one of the points raised in Deputy Labey’s Creating Better Homes Action Plan, which he unveiled in June.
Earlier this year, Deputy Labey laid out his vision for his major priorities for the remainder of his term of office, which included a commitment to review the range of mortgage products available for affordable housing, with £10 million in funding to be made available during the first half of 2022 to support Islanders buying houses. He also said that there would be work to increase supply and manage demand in the sector, with the aim of identifying sites and progressing work so that the current annual figure of 400 new homes being built annually would be increased by 80% by 2025.
Deputy Labey said: ‘These two locations are key to delivering on the government’s commitment to increase housing, and will help supply good-quality, mixed-property development, subject of course to planning permission within the framework of the Island Plan. Opportunities also exist within both sites for community amenities. After securing the green light from the Council of Ministers, my first call was to the Constables of both St Saviour and St Brelade, as local consultation will be pivotal to the design process.’
He said that the use of government-owned land to help meet the need for affordable homes was also a policy objective of the Island Public Estates Strategy.
The minister added: ‘While the old Les Quennevais School site won’t be available until 2026, part of the St Saviour’s Hospital site should be available by 2023. It’s important that our housing plan enables us to tailor supply to meet demand, and ensure we are ready to build when sites become available. We will also be working with colleagues in Health and Community Services to ensure that key workers living in accommodation at the St Saviour’s Hospital site are relocated when the time comes.’
The former school site is to be used for health services previously provided at Overdale while the building of the new hospital takes place.
